20 Times That Art And Design Inspired Awe In 2013

    Just a little reminder that humans are capable of incredible and grand things.

    Peggy Wang
    by Peggy Wang

    BuzzFeed Staff

    1. Biblioteca Jose Vasconcelos in Mexico City

    TAX arquitectura | alberto kalach / Via designboom.com
    TAX arquitectura | alberto kalach / Via designboom.com
    designboom.com

    A massive feat of glass and concrete situated in a lush botanical garden, "the library resembles a science fiction organism."

    2. Datong Library in China

    Preston Scott Cohen / Via designboom.com
    Preston Scott Cohen / Via designboom.com

    Read more about this structure and the construction process here.

    3. Kohei Nawa's Cloud-Like Installation

    designboom.com
    designboom.com

    Walk among the clouds in Kohei Nawa's foam installation.

    4. Underwater Hotel Room at Manta Resort off Pemba Island in Africa

    Jesper Anhede
    Jesper Anhede

    There are three levels: a submerged underwater hotel room with windows out into the sea, a landing deck with lounge and restroom, and a roof deck. Read more about it here.

    5. Chain Link Fencing as Art by Soo Sunny Park

    Nash Baker
    Nash Baker

    This ephemeral art installation reflected prisms of holograms and light onto the river's surface outside the gallery.

    6. The Swingrest by Daniel Pouzet

    Dedon / Via designboom.com
    Dedon / Via designboom.com

    Invented by French designer Daniel Pouzet, these are hanging at Dedon's island resort and outdoor living lab in Siargao, Philippines.

    7. Olek's Colossal Yarn Bomb of a Four-Train Locomotive

    agataolek.com
    agataolek.com
    agataolek.com
    agataolek.com

    She is, without question, the Queen of Yarn Bombing.

    8. The Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilization in Marseilles

    Lafarge Library / Charles Plumey Faye / Via designboom.com
    Lafarge Library / Charles Plumey Faye / Via designboom.com
    Lafarge Library / Charles Plumey Faye / Via designboom.com

    What's impressive about this structure designed by French architect Rudy Ricciotti is the way it's encased in a very delicate concrete filigree.

    9. Yayoi Kusama’s Mirror and LED Light Installations

    yayoi-kusama.jp

    Yayoi Kusama's "Infinity Mirror Rooms" makes you feel like you are standing in an infinite space.

    10. The Salina Turda Salt Mines Turned History Museum in Romania

    nexttriptourism / Via designboom.com
    nexttriptourism / Via designboom.com
    nexttriptourism / Via designboom.com

    This enormous salt mine contains such attractions as a ferris wheel, golf course, and bowling alley.

    11. Amazon’s Headquarters in Seattle

    Seattle City Council / NBBJ / Via designboom.com
    Seattle City Council / NBBJ / Via designboom.com

    Check out the plans and more photos here.

    12. Someone Invented the World's First Ever 3D-Drawing Pen

    thisiscolossal.com

    The 3Doodler raised an epic $2.3 million on Kickstarter and is now a purchasable reality for $99.

    13. The Fallen 9000 at Normandy

    thisiscolossal.com

    British artists Jamie Wardley and Andy Moss etched 9,000 silhouettes in the sand to commemorate D-Day.

    14. Mark's House in Michigan

    Gavin Smith / Via designboom.com
    Gavin Smith / Via designboom.com

    A temporary dwelling covered in reflective mylar intended to raise awareness of the thousands of foreclosures that drove families out of town. Read more about it here.

    15. Keng Lye's Insanely Realistic Resin Paintings

    kenglye.deviantart.com
    kenglye.deviantart.com
    kenglye.deviantart.com
    kenglye.deviantart.com

    Check out more of his art here.

    16. Rogan Brown's Intricate Organic Paper Cutout Sculptures

    thisiscolossal.com
    thisiscolossal.com

    Read more about them here.

    17. Tomás Saraceno's "In Orbit" Installation

    tomassaraceno.com

    See more photos of this cool interactive exhibition here.

    18. Cai Guo-Qiang's Life-Size Replica of 99 Animals Drinking from a Lake

    caiguoqiang.com / Via designboom.com
    caiguoqiang.com / Via designboom.com

    That lake contains 170 tons of water. Read more about the artist here.

    19. Kaleidoscopic Floor Installations by Suzan Drummen

    thisiscolossal.com / Via thisiscolossal.com
    suzandrummen.nl
    suzandrummen.nl

    Surreal explosions of glass and crystal.

    20. Intricate Temari Balls Embroidered by a 92-Year-Old Grandmother

    lostateminor.com
    lostateminor.com
    lostateminor.com
    lostateminor.com
    Flickr: nanaakua

    These embroidered toy balls are constructed from old kimonos. She's made 500 of them and you can see a whole lot more of her work over at her Flickr.